Inspired Teen

The eyes of America were on the men’s team in 1964 at Innsbruck, but a young girl from Oregon stole the show.

Hi, this is Tom Kelly and I’ll be right back with the Olympic story Behind the Gold.

An Olympics in your home country brings great excitement across a nation. It also inspires youth who are captivated by their heroes. Oregon’s Jean Saubert was a young teenager who was inspired by watching Penny Pitou and Betsy Snite-Riley beaming with pride as they medaled in Squaw Valley at the 1960 Olympic Winter Games. The high school senior relished her experience and went back home more motivated than ever. She was the dominant women's ski racer in America and headed to the 1964 Olympics on a wave of publicity. Despite a focus on the U.S. men, it was Saubert who would initiate the U.S. medals with bronze in slalom and silver in GS.

The Hall of Famer went on to attend BYU and become a teacher in her native Oregon, before dying from cancer in 2007. She relived her Olympic moment as a torch bearer prior the to Salt Lake City Olympics. She didn’t bring out her medals often, but every four years her students had the opportunity to learn about her past glory. Today those medals are on display at the USSA center of excellence in Park City.

This is Tom Kelly with Behind the Gold … Only in Park City … Only on KPCW.

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Coaches were stunned at his times as he skied stride after stride to an historic silver medal.

Hi, I'm Tom Kelly and I'll be right back with more of the story on Behind the Gold.

It was opening day at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck. The eyes of the world were focused towards the Men's Downhill on the icy slope of Patscherkofel where Austrian farm boy, Franz Klammer, stole the show with an electrifying win over Swiss favorite, Bernhard Russi.

In 1972. a family from Vermont captured the hearts of America at the Sapporo Olympics.

Hi, this is Tom Kelly and I’ll be right back with the Olympic story Behind the Gold.

After a medal-less 1968 Olympics for the U.S. Ski Team, the eyes of America were on the Cochran family from Vermont as the 1972 Olympics came to Sapporo, Japan. The team was a family affair: Bobby, Marilyn and Barbara Ann. Heavy snow was falling on the slalom course on the final day of the games as Barbara Ann drew bib No. 1 and battled into the lead after the first run.

It was a simple mistake, just a mathematical error, but it turned into Bronze.

Hi, this is Tom Kelly, and I'll be right back with the Olympic story Behind the Gold.

The modern day Olympic games started in 1896, patterned after the ancient Grecian contests. But it wasn't until 1924 that the Olympic site of Paris chose to do a winter exposition-an event that later became the first Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix. Ski jumping was the Marquee Competition.